Fishhook extractor



ug 24 E94 1D. R. BATES 447554 FISHHOOK, EXTRAGTOR Filed may 1s, 194e FIGS'.

Dqrr REQ-res INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 24, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FISHHOOK EXTRACTOR 4 A Dorr R.. Bates, Lansing', Mich.

Application May 15, 1946, Serial No. 669,883

1 claim. 1

'Ihis invention relates to fishing tackle and is particularly concerned with a devi-ce for the eX- tracti-on of a fish hook imbedded in the flesh of the oral cavity of a fish.

In the prior art there is no satisfactory means for .the extraction `of a fish hook from the oral cavity of a iish as the imbedding of the said hook occurs in the normal procedure of shing. Very frequently the hook is imbedded so deeply in the oral cavity of the fish that to remove the same without damage to Ithe shing ta-ckle resort is had to mutilating a portion of the body of the sh. Such a procedure is not only wasteful of the sh as a food commodity but it is disliked by the fisherman because a mutilated flsh diminishes the value of .the catch. Frequently, in an attempt to remove a hook which has been deeply imbedded in the iiesh of the oral cavity of the ilsh, the fisherman will insert his linger therein and may cause serious injury to the same. A device for the removal `of an imbedded hook as above described has been a dream of most fishermen, yet no device suitable for such use has been found.

'It is therefore 4an object of this invention to provide a device for the extraction of a sh hook which has been imbedded in the flesh of the oral cavity of a fish. It is a further object to provide such a device whereby the sh hook .can be removed with relative ease to the fisherman. It is still a further object to provide a device for the removal of a iish hook from the oral cavity of a iish without causing injury .to the iisherman and without the necessity of mutilating any portion of the body of the fish.

I have now found that I am able .to avoid the disadvantages encountered in the prior art and am able to accomplish the objects set forth and have accordingly discovered and invented a simple but novel device whereby I am able readily to extract a iish hook from the oral cavity of a fish no matter how deeply the said hook has been imbedded in the ilesh of the said oral -cavi-ty.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention which together with the following description discloses fully and clearly the full nature and novelty of the same.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the devi-ce of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a left side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an isometric drawing of the device showing the position of the device in respect yto the thumb of the sherman, the sh line, and the sh h-ook. The fish is not shown.

(Cl. l13--29) Fig. 4 is an isometric drawing of the device of my invention showing the position of the hook and the line in respect to 4the thumb of the fisherman after a quarter counter-clockwise turn of the device or a quarter clockwise .turn of the body of the fish is made. The iish is not shown.

Fig. 5 is an isometric drawing of the device showing the position of the hook and the line in respect to the thumb -of the fisherman after tw-o counter-clockwise turns of the device or two clockwise turns of the body of the fish are made.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the device I is shown with a dat notch 2 which is cut away from lthe device and a taper 3 with a blunt point 4. The Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show the device I in isometric drawings with .the notch 2, taper 3, and the blunt point 4. In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 there is shown `the lish line 5, the sh hook 6, and the iishermans thumb 1.

In operation the iish hook extractor I is inser-ted into the oral cavity of the fish and a portion of the line 15 is securely held by pressing the thumb 'I over the said line and the notch 2, and the device is turned counter-clockwise to cause the line 5 to be wound around the taper 3 of the device. When the portion of the line extending from the hook to a point at which it is hel-d against the notch 2 by the shermans thumb is entirely Wound around the taper `=3 the hook is pulled transversely away from the flesh of the walls of the oral cavity and is pulled toward the taper of .the device. When the hook is entirely released from the iiesh of tthe fish a slight counter-clockwise turn will cause it to be imbedded in the taper portion of the device at approximately point a.

The above operation is described by turning the devi-ce of my invention in a counter-clockwise direction. The body of .the fish (n-ot shown) is held with one hand during this operation to prevent the body of the sh from turning. When it is more convenient to turn the sh instead of the `device in the above-described operation for the extracting of the iish hook, the device is then held securely to prevent turning and the body of the fish is turned in a clockwise direction.

The device of my invention may be readily constructed without the need of special tools as it is most suitable for the intended purpose when the same ls constructed from wood. When it is thus constructed from wood the penetration of the hook into the vdevice is readily accomplished and eliminates the possibility of the fishermans injury by .the hook.

While I prefer the construction of my device from Wood I Wish to point out that I do not Wish to be limited to the use of the same as I am equally -able to use other materials, such as various plastic compounds, and am able thus to construct the devi-ce of my invention.

I Wish also to point out that I am not limited in the scope of this invention by .the particular design of the device as shown herein. For example, although I find that the notch portion of my device is "convenient for hold-ingla portion of the fishK line by pressing the thumb against the line and .the said notched portion, I do not Wish to be limited to such a notch because I am also able to perform the extraction of the hook-with a Adifferent shaped notch or, although less conveniently, Without such a notch.

Ici-aim: -A fis-h hook extractor, comprising a solid wooden cylindrical portion, a solid Wooden tapered por REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the l file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,155,898 Harkms Apr. 25, 1939 2,164,907 Falkner July 4, 1939 

